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(Program 2)
Program manager: Dr Norm Adams, CSIRO Division of
Animal Production, Floreat Park, WA
Overview
This program aimed to reduce the incidence of tender and
weak wool in the Australian wool clip. Staple strength is second only to
fibre diameter in determining the relative value of raw wool because it is
an important contributor to hauteur, which is the fibre length in the wool
top after early stage processing. Low staple strength is a problem in
Australia where sheep graze in the many areas with dramatic seasonal
fluctuations in pasture quality and quantity.
The weakest point in a staple (position of break) often
coincides with the change in feed supply at the break of the season.
However, there are a number of other factors that contribute to the
strength of the wool. The amount and timing of supplements fed during
summer, exposure to summer rainfall, weaning procedures and reproductive
stress may all contribute. In addition to these environmental factors,
there are differences in staple strength that are related to the age and
the genotype of the sheep. These anomalies indicate a complex problem.
We addressed these problems in a coordinated program of
studies on-farm and in the animal house together with complementary
activities in wool processing to improve the value of the wool.
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